In words often used to describe the music of
Duke Ellington, Myron Walden is a saxophonist beyond category. More so than many other musicians, Walden himself eschews reliance on any one instrument, not tenor or alto nor soprano nor bass nor ... well, you get the idea. The voice that he is striving to use in any particular setting can vary widely from time to time; there is no favorite child in this man's family of instruments.
The same can be said of the music he plays. Three current releases (1) conjure Miles Davis, (2) reflect his innermost feelings of love, and (3) jump with countrified vigor. Look up the word “eclectic" in the dictionary, and you'll find a photo of Myron Walden.
AAJ Contributor Edward Bride spoke with Walden, who just completed a gig at New York's Jazz Gallery, about his return to recording as a leader with three albums coming out in the next couple months, including the just-released Momentum (Demi Sound, 2009), an album that uses Miles Davis' great 1960s quintet as its starting point. Two more albums will follow in January, 2010: the funkified, down-home Countrified and more reflective In This World, both also on Walden's Demi Sound label.
Check out Edward's in-depth interview, Myron Walden: Eclectic Reedman, at AAJ today!
But that's not all. To celebrate Walden and the release of Momentum, AAJ is providing even more coverage:
- Read Managing Editor John Kelman's insightful review of Momentum, also published today at AAJ;
- Download “What Comes Up Must Come Down", a full mp3 track from Momentum, today's AAJ Daily Download;
- Download “Miles", a second full mp3 track from Momentum tomorrow, AAJ's Daily Download for November 24, 2009;
- Watch Walden perform in concert with his “Countrified" group, live at The Jazz Gallery from May, 2009, today's AAJ Daily Video.
AAJ is committed to providing the most extensive coverage available surrounding new releases, so be sure to check out all the buzz about Myron Walden and Momentum, the first of three new releases from this prolific reedman, at AAJ today!
